`."System- "System gl܄-"System--@Times New Roman--- &2 q`cThe Clonfin Ambush       2 qc    2 `c  @Times New Roman--- 52 `cIntroduction from Chronology         2 Sc  @Times New Roman--- v2 `GcThe Flying Column of the North Longford Brigade of the IRA, under Sean                       --------- 52 `cMacEoin, ambush two lorries          2 N ccontaining      2 c  "2 c17 Auxiliaries    2 cat --- 2 -cClonfin  ---  2 lc  2 q c(between     =2 `!cGranard and Ballinalee). After a        J2 b*cprolonged engagement, the Auxiliaries are            )2 `cforced to surrender.       2 c   2 c  52 cFour Auxiliaries are killed.        2 c  @Times New Roman------ 2 `c ---  2 jc  ---@"Calibri--------- 2 .` cMore Detail  ---  2 .c  --- 52 J`cThe four Auxiliaries killed       2 J,cwere  G2 JU(cLieutenant Commander Francis Worthington             2 Jc-  y2 _`IcCraven, Cadet George Bush, Cadet Harold Clayton and Cadet John Houghton.                      %2 u`cEight others are      ^2 u7cwounded. (Houghton and Craven died at the scene of the                  D2 `&cambush. Clayton and Bush died later.)              2 c   e2 `<cMacEoin had placed his men in three sections along the road                   2 /c   2 9c  #2 >cSection 1 under      q2 `DcM. F. Reynolds; Section 2 under Sean Duffy and Section 3 under Hugh                     #2 `cHourican. Paddy     2 c  g2 =cCallaghan constructed a mine which he detonated as the first                  2 `NcCrossley passed the ambush site, knocking out its engine. Among the IRA men                     }2 `Lcwho took part were Mick Mulligan who suggested Clonfin as the ambush site.                    G2 `(cThe IRA carried away 18 rifles, 20 revol          ;2  cvers, a Lewis machine gun and a           >2 '`"csubstantial amount of ammunition.            2 'zc   2 C`NcAfter the Auxiliaries surrendered, MacEoin allowed the wounded to get medical                      G2 Y`(ctreatment and prevented his men from ill            2 Yc- D2 Y&ctreating the prisoners. He allowed so            ;2 n` cmuch time that the column was al          M2 n^,cmost caught by reinforcements arriving from             2 ` cLongford.     2 c   2 c  t2 Fc(The action of MacEoin in preventing killing of prisoners is noted in                      @Times New Roman--------------- 72 `cthe official history of the 5         --- 2 1cth---  2 :c  U2 ?1cDivision of the BA in Ireland as noticeable and             ------ 2 ` cunusual.)  ---  2 c  --- F2 `'cIn retaliation, a number of houses and            G2 (cfarms in the area were burned. Also, an             }2 `Lcelderly farmer, Michael Farrell, was shot dead in a reprisal for the ambush                    2 c   2 c  2 csee  ------ 2 `cFeb    2 }c- 2 c03   2 c- 2 c21/7   2 c. ---  2 c  --- F2 `'cCrown Forces carry out the first of the           2 cir  2 c  G2 (cdrives in the wake of this ambush. A             C2 !`%ccombined force of BA and Auxiliaries            F2 !'cclose off an area around Corn Hill and             2 6`Rcdetain all males in the area bringing them to collecting posts. Of the 100 men                     --- 52 K`cdetained, six are arrested.        ---  2 K.c  --- 2 t`cBack    2 tc @Times New Roman---- @ !*v`-  ---  2 `c    2 `c  "Arial--ccbbaa